.Salandersquirmedlikeawormabouttobeputonahook.
CHAPTER29
Saturday,November1–Tuesday,November25
SalanderwassurfingthroughWennerstr?m’scyber-empire.Shehadbeenstaringatherputerscreenforalmostelevenhours.TheideathathadmaterialisedinsomeunexplorednookofherbrainduringthelastweekatSandhamnhadgrownintoamanicpreoupation.ForfourweeksshehadisolatedherselfinherapartmentandignoredanymunicationfromArmansky.Shehadspenttwelvehoursadayinfrontofherputer,somedaysmore,andtherestofherwakinghoursshehadbroodedoverthesameproblem.
DuringthepastmonthshehadhadintermittentcontactwithBlomkvist.Hetoowaspreoupied,busyattheMillenniumoffices.Theyhadconferredbytelephoneacoupleoftimeseachweek,andshehadkepthimupdatedonWennerstr?m’scorrespondenceandotheractivities.
Forthehundredthtimeshewentovereverydetail.Shewasnotafraidthatshehadmissedanything,butshewasnotsurethatshehadunderstoodhoweveryoneoftheintricateconnectionsfittedtogether.
Thismuch-discussedempirewaslikealiving,formless,pulsatinganismthatkeptchangingshape.Itconsistedofoptions,bonds,shares,partnerships,loaninterest,ineinterest,deposits,bankaounts,paymenttransfers,andthousandsofotherelements.Anincrediblylargeproportionoftheassetswasdepositedinpost-office-boxpaniesthatownedoneanother.
Thefinancialpundits’mostinflatedanalysesoftheWennerstr?mGroupestimateditsvalueatmorethan900billionkronor.Thatwasabluff,oratleastafigurethatwasgrosslyexaggerated.ObviouslyWennerstr?mhimselfwasbynomeanspoor.Shecalculatedtherealassetstobeworthbetween90and100billionkronor,whichwasnothingtosneezeat.Athoroughauditoftheentirecorporationwouldtakeyears.AllinallSalanderhadidentifiedclosetothreethousandseparateaountsandbankholdingsallovertheworld.Wennerstr?mwasdevotinghimselftofraudthatwassoextensiveitwasnolongermerelycriminal—itwasbusiness.
SomewhereintheWennerstr?manismtherewasalsosubstance.Threeassetskeptshowingupinthehierarchy.ThefixedSwedishassetswereunassailableandgenuine,availabletopublicscrutiny,balancesheets,anda